They Meet the Hobbits
by Christopher Riddle
Summary: This is my first story on here. This story is about about two friends, John and Tiberius who live in New Zealand. They embark on a dangerous adventure in the vast countryside and then, unexpectedly they get transported to the lotr universe where they learn a fact that puts them both into misery. It doesn't last long. ENJOY! Thanks to Ieatvampiresforbreakfast for improving it :)
1. Chapter 1

John and Tiberius were two regular New Zealanders who enjoyed roaming the countryside, exploring the woods and climbing the mountains. They would always go out together every weekend to their favourite place to walk near Taupo on the North Island.

While wandering through the deep wilderness of New Zealand's North Island, they reached the edge of the area in the woods where people would never go. Old traditions state no one should enter the mysterious hill. Many strange things had happened on the hill when people had been ignorant of these myths had walked here. Some people went out gathering berries and returned with an arm or a leg missing and sometimes they even disappeared completely. The myth began when a large group of settlers from Europe went searching for land to grow crops and never returned. Legend says some fell behind and then while taking a shortcut resulting in gettting dragged away by supposedly monstrous creatures with scaly green skin and terrifying eyes. The rest of the farmers got lost in the newly discovered land and fell down a large pit leading towards something, some said it was leading them to hell but others believed it was a new world.

This day, John and Tiberius wanted to find out the truth about these myths. They thought they were just old campfire stories made to scare people camping in this part of the woods, how very wrong they were. They trudged on past the warning sign that the village elders had placed on a tree many years before. Tiberius took a moment to look at the small clearing, there was something odd about this place, something not quite right. If he hadn't had a sensible head on his shoulders he might even have thought there was some merit to the myth. With a rumble of thunder the sky turned awfully grey.

"It's going to rain, John!" Tiberius exclaimed, knowing full well it would absolutely drench them.

"Let's run to find shelter!" replied a determined John. The two young men ran as fast as they could across the muddy field towards what they could see as rickety old tree houses. Nether had any idea who had built them since people who ventured this far into the clearing rarely returned, and if they did the villagers never got any information from them.

Despite the eerie feeling of the place both continued running, Tiberius worried and John intrigued. Unfortunately for Tiberius, he didn't see a tree root that stuck out of the ground; he tripped and fell flat on his face with a loud 'smack' that reverberated around the clearing. The legend was true. Tiberius slid down a narrow hole that opened up around his flailing body like a snake about to eat it's prey whole. Tiberius had no idea what was happening, his logic filled brain working furiously fast to work out how this giant whole had just opened up around himself. With desperate hands he scrabbled on the ground, trying to find a handhold. The muddy earth just gave way and hastened his fall. In a moment of clear mindedness Tiberius understood a simple fact; he would probably never see his friend again. John was not oblivious to the struggle happening a few meters behind him. John ran towards the seemingly bottomless pit and stretched his hand out to his friend. Tiberius quickly accepted the help but his hands were slick with mud. Tiberius fell. John watched. John shouted for help.

When the villagers got to the edge of the foreboding clearing (that was how far they were willing to go) there was no sign of the two men, just a muddy puddle in the centre, with a gnarled tree root next to it.


	2. Chapter 2

Bam! John and Tiberius hit the ground, hard.

"Ouch!" they both yelled simultaneously. Their voices echoed around the mysterious cavern they had fallen into. They had landed on a grassy material which was probably moss, in a virtually pitch black grotto deep underground.

They felt their way around for a while although it seemed to go on for miles as they never found any walls to confirm that the space was not in fact limitless.

They stopped walking when they heard someone speaking. "We wants it, we needs it. We must have it, precious." They heard a chilling childish voice say. The pair could see a ray of light shining from a jagged crack in the wall so in a hurry they tiptoed towards it.

"It's too small." Moaned Tiberius, "How will we get through it now?"

They heard the voice again. This time it had moved. As they listened they figured it was getting closer, however, the closer it got the clearer John and Tiberius could hear the muffled speech. The strange voice was describing the exit route!

They wanted to move fast so they scuttled behind the voice hoping it was going there as well. Luckily for them they could see a new escape route and it was luckily big enough for them to fit through. They both cheered with excitement, but quickly their jubilation turned to icy fear as they heard the shallow breathing of whatever it was, it was close. Too close.

Instantly the voice they were listening to stopped. John peered around the rock they were hiding behind to find a sickly grey-green coloured creature staring wickedly in their direction. For a moment John just stared at it's bulbous cat eyes, it's long thin fingers, it's malnourished body. Tiberius grabbed his friend by the scruff of the neck to make him hide behind the rock again but the damage was already done. Hearing the footsteps of the monster they panicked and ran towards another rock just next to where they were already. Tiberius was very worried and started to fumble. Crouching down, John carefully listened for the creature to start moving again.

"What was that?" he heard. "Nothing, it was nothing precious. Nothing is there." It hadn't seen them. Tiberius had heard this too and had stopped panicking. They were almost safe now. Tiberius would have been happy to hide behind the rock for a lot longer but at John's insistence he grudgingly got up. They just had to escape now. As they got up from the cold mossy floor, Tiberius who was still not getting any luck, managed to slip before sliding backwards down a twisty slope and land in a small boat of sorts. John realising the awkward situation decided to be brave and follow his friend. Shooting down the slope, John noticed something peculiar. There was water, clear water and it was steaming.

PLOP! John had missed the rowing boat and had fallen straight into the bubbling water.

"Hey! Tiberius! Get in the water with me! It's amazing!" called John. Tiberius edged his way into the water.


End file.
